San Diego Food & Travel

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EDIBLE SAN DIEGO: Finding the Missing Crayons and Moving Beyond the Latke

Photography by Jaime Fritsch

It’s a question faced in just about every Jewish home come Hanukkah-time: how do we do latkes this year? Of all the things we could possibly make it ends up being latkes every year. It’s as if we always choose to color with the same few crayons in the 64-color box. Maybe it’s time to use some of the other colors.

Read more at http://ediblesandiego.ediblecommunities.com/eat/ditch-latke-and-try-hush-puppy

[see the recipe below]

Heirloom Hushpuppies | Smoked Chicken | Remoulade | Gremolata

Serves 4

For the Remoulade

  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped Italian parsley
  • 1 tablespoon Louisiana-style hot sauce
  • 2 teaspoons Creole mustard
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
  • 2 teaspoons capers, roughly chopped
  • 4 cornichons, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon mild paprika
  • 1 scallion, finely chopped
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

For the Smoked Chicken

  • 1 carrot, roughly chopped
  • 2 stalk celery, roughly chopped
  • 1 small onion, roughly chopped
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 sprig fresh thyme
  • 1 tablespoon Kosher salt
  • 3 cups beer (of your choice, but not a heavy beer like a porter or stout)
  • 2 pounds chicken thigh fillets
  • Smoker chips of choice

For the Hushpuppies

  • Vegetable oil
  • 1 cup non-GMO cornmeal (e.g., http://www.bobsredmill.com/blue-cornmeal.html)
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon Cayenne pepper
  • 1 cup chopped smoked chicken
  • ¼ cup finely chopped red onion
  • ¼ cup finely chopped green onion
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 1/4 cup beer
  • 1/4 cup coconut cream

For the Gremolata

  • 1 bunch Italian parsley, finely minced
  • 1 clove garlic, peeled and finely minced
  • 1 lemon
  1. Make the Remoulade. In a small bowl, mix together the remoulade ingredients and let sit for 1 hour for flavors to combine, then cover and refrigerate.
  2. Poach the Chicken Thighs. In a large, straight-sided skillet combine the first seven ingredients and bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook 8 minutes. Season the chicken with salt and gently lower into simmering liquid (liquid should just cover chicken). Cover and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Using a wide slotted spatula, remove chicken from the liquid and refrigerate.
  3. Smoke the Chicken Thighs. When the chicken is cool, shred it and place in a metal bowl large enough to contain the chicken with room to spare. Place the smoking chips of your choice (pecan is a good option) in your smoking gun and operate according to the manufacturer’s instructions, covering the bowl with plastic wrap. Allow the chicken to sit in the smoke for at least five minutes.
  4. Form the Hush Puppies. Pour oil to a depth of 3 inches into a Dutch oven or deep fryer and bring to 375° Fahrenheit. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200° Fahrenheit. Stir together cornmeal and next seven ingredients in a large bowl. Add the egg, beer, and coconut cream; stir just until moistened. Let stand 10 minutes.
  5. Cook the Hush Puppies. Working in batches, gently roll the hush puppy dough into golf ball-sized balls then dab with paper towels on all sides to dry the surface a bit. Carefully lower into hot oil using a slotted spoon. Take care not to crowd the pot or fryer. Fry until golden brown and cooked through, turning with wooden spoon for even browning, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain on a wire rack over paper towels. Keep warm in the preheated 200° oven.
  6. Make the Gremolata. Using a zester, remove about 1 teaspoon of lemon zest and finely mince. Keep in mind that the zest is the outer peel of a lime, not the inner white pith. Be careful not to include any of the pith below the skin because it is bitter. Combine the minced lime zest with the remaining ingredients in a bowl and season to taste with Kosher salt and black
  7. Plate the dish. Form a pool of Remoulade towards the upper left of the plate and place a hushpuppy on it. Draw a line of the gremolata across the plate below the hushpuppy and sauce.